Teacher
by outerelf
Summary: Red Alerts teacher comes to Earth. And he's not happy with what he seeing.
1. Chapter 1

Yes, I'm redoing this. Yay me, right? XD

SsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSs

"No way." Red Alert whispered, staring in acute horror at the data pad. "No way, please oh please no."

Inferno entered the security room at that moment, "Red, what's the matter?"

Red Alert turned to Inferno waving a datapad at Inferno. Jazz, peeking over Infernos shoulder got to see Red Alert the closest he could get to full blown hysterics without going glitchy. "What's wrong Inferno? Everything is!"

Prowl's voice crackled over the comm. link asking, "Red Alert, what's the code for the storage room?"

"Why-"

"Ratchet requested it."

"Ah, I'll open the doors up here, and fill out the pads needed later." Red Alert said, typing distractedly into the computer.

Inferno pulled the datapad from where Red Alert had set it aside to open the door, and read it. Jazz leaned below Inferno's arms, looking up at the datapad. Inferno obligingly lowered it, and they both looked up at the scowling Red Alert. "Red, who's this?"

Red Alert mumbled something that couldn't quiet be heard. Inferno sighed as he said impatiently, "Well, Red, who's Cameralift?"

"My teacher. The one who taught me how to be a security mech." Red Alert said, staring at the ground. "He's going to be so furious."

_Overreacting_ -came the two instant thoughts from Inferno and Jazz.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The entire Ark was curious about what sort of mech Red Alerts teacher would be. "He's gotta have the patience of Primus."

"Nah, Red Alert would've learned fast if it meant that his glitch would have something new to occupy itself with." The other mech laughed.

Red Alert was distinctly nervous, and shifted from foot to foot, peering up at the sky every so often, as they waited for the shuttle filled with mechs to land upon earth.

Several earth dignitaries were also awaiting the arrival of the mechs, for several higher ranked officials of Cybertron were also coming.

When the shuttle was spotted, Red Alert groaned, looking as if he would very much like to kill himself. Inferno felt sorry for his mate, but he couldn't go to the miserable Red Alert. While their relationship was the best known secret, it wouldn't of looked good in front of the officials.

Jazz, nearby Red Alert smiled as he said, "So, what's so bad about him?"

Red Alert watched for a moment as the shuttle landed, and the door opened. When he finally spoke it was nearly lost. "He'll think I've been lax with my security measures."

Jazz allowed an inward snort. Red Alert was anything _but_ lax, and Jazz wondered if Red Alert was close to glitching again. No spark of blue ran through his horns however, so Jazz was forced to discount that theory.

A mech no bigger then Red Alert strode out of the doorway. He surveyed the crowds with a quick sweep and instantly spotted Red Alert. Red Alert looked pale. "Slag." He croaked. "He's furious."

"Red Alert!" The voice boomed across the distance, full of crackling power and anger. "I want to talk to you now!"

Red Alert gulped, a trait picked up from the humans and he hissed, "Tell Inferno that if I don't appear in three cycles I'm dead and go ahead and find the will-chip I recorded."

0o0o0o0o0o0o

The twins looked at each other, and then at their older brother as he nervously motioned to the mech. Both walked off, Red Alert twitchy and about ready to scream, the other mech supremely confident and angry. "What do you thinks going to happen?"

"Red Alert is about to be yelled at." Sunstreakers optics became slightly cruel as he said, "Shall we go listen in?"

0o0o0o0o0

The twins put their auditory receptors to the door, listening intently. "What sort of security measures were those! All of those cameras were outdated and easily fooled."

"Sir, the humans have not reached the same level of technology, and Prime ordered that we were to use human technology around humans-"

"That isn't an excuse!"

The twins jumped as the mech slammed a fist on the counter. "I've heard nothing but bad things about you since you came aboard Red Alert! Letting anyone get away with any prank, no matter how small! I thought I taught you better then that! You should've set up at least 10 secret cameras around the edge of the perimeter instead of just the two that you did use-"

"Sir." Red Alerts tone was slightly timid. "I used five. The other three were hidden amongst the trees."

"You mean those organic things?"

"Yessir."

There was a short silence, then Cameralift asked thoughtfully, "How long have you been on Earth Red Alert?"

"Several years onlined. We spent a few millennium offlined."

"Thought as much. I want to see all of your records."

Red Alert seemed about ready to protest, and the mech growled, "NOW!"

0o0o0o0o0o0

By the time Cameralift was done, the twins had gotten a wire into the room, and were currently recording it and broadcasting it to certain members of the Ark. Only those who asked like Prime, Ironhide, Ratchet, Prowl, and Inferno. Bumblebee had said that he was unwilling to eavesdrop, but he wouldn't mind an account of it afterwards.

Red Alert stared at Cameralift inside of the room, remembering all of the different techniques that the mech had taught him to set up an area for maximum security. _Heh, I'm untrusting out of my glitch, he never did trust anyone originally._

Cameralift looked up from the reports, growling, "You let someone into the storerooms without getting permission?"

"It was a request from the second in command, and Ratchet had requested it-"

"That doesn't matter! He, no matter how high, should've written out the proper forms. Do you even know what he got?"

"Extra tubing to fix the twins-"

"And there's another point of problem. Why haven't you stopped their pranking in process? You obviously have caught signs that they were going to prank."

"Well, I thought it would be best to let them prank or else they'll get into even worse trouble, and this way I could monitor their pranks to make sure the wrong mech didn't-"

"Don't you talk back to me!" Cameralift roared. Red Alert flinched, and the twins looked at each other, fuming. "Moreover, what's this about Mirage, and the Aerial bots? Letting a mech wander about the Ark invisible-"

"Sir, he-"

Red Alerts protest was lost in the resounding crash as Cameralift snarled, "I said don't talk! What has happened to you? Did the organics mess with your CPU? You were coming along so beautifully on Cybertron. You didn't walk into a room without scanning it five times at the least, you never went anywhere that you didn't secure the area. You might of drabbled in rescue missions with that mech Inferno, but you never once slipped! You had the perfect record. Then once you got to this planet you got worse!"

Red Alert was about to say something, but Cameralift drowned it out. "You started out well. In your reports you presented various places for Decepticons to attack, and you kept up a stiff standard. However, as time goes on your reports become sloppier and less detailed."

Prowl thought back as he listened in to all of the times that he had thanked Primus that Red Alert was at last listening to him and not putting any more of his conspiracy theories inside.

Red Alert made a slight noise, to be overridden by Cameralift. "Moreover your attachment to Inferno is well known even on Cybertron."

A heavy silence descended, and Prime suddenly had the urge to walk down and stop Cameralift before he said something to potentially damage Red Alerts and Inferno's relationship. "I thought I broke you of all attachment to other mechs. I also thought I had taught you to keep the cameras up and running even if mechs were interfacing right in front of it."

Red Alert said in a tiny voice, from somewhere in the back of his vocalizer, "Sir, Inferno's helped me, and I do want the members of the Ark to have their privacy-"

"Privacy? Red Alert, we are security. Mechs privacy is not part of our job description. We are paid to make sure they _don't_ have a private life. Moreover, you are not supposed to have a private life."

Red Alert made a slight motion. A single glare made him stop dead. "It looks like I'll have to reteach you everything."

Red Alert nodded, optics fixed on the ground. "Yes sir."

Cameralift sighed, motioning slightly. "Red Alert, this is for your good. I don't want you to be left without a job after this war ends. But I can't give you my business if you _aren't_ good enough."

"I know sir." Red Alert whispered, and he dragged his optics to look miserably up at Cameralift. "I'll do my best to relearn everything Cameralift."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Prime scowled at the table in front of him. The two mechs had left the room to look over the base just after Red Alert had promised to relearn everything. _All of those bad habits that we thought we were fixing were just habits that he developed under Cameralift._

Prime sighed to himself, turning over the puzzle of his security director over in his mind. _Who and what is Cameralift to Red Alert? Moreover, what did Cameralift do to teach Red Alert? Inferno has been unhappy with the arrival of Cameralift, and he can catch some of Red Alerts feeling across their bond. Of course, it may be the fact that Cameralift has so much power over Red Alert…_

Prime never thought he'd see a time when Red Alert meekly accepted corrections to his way of doing things, no matter who it was. The last time Prime had attempted to make a correction, Red Alert had broadcasted several embarrassing images to the Ark. Prime never tried it again, and nobody below him dared after hearing the stories that circulated.

A slight, hidden smile twitched under Primes faceplate as he contemplated some of the rumors. It went from confessing his undying love to Bumblebee, to Bumblebee calling him 'mother' in front of the Arks crew when Bumblebee was just a sparkling, and the bots were raising him.

The truth was, it was simply a drunk Prime singing one of the greatest hit songs off key and horribly. Red Alert had thankfully kept some of the much juicer blackmail under wraps. At least this way no one outside of the Ark was quiet sure what exactly had been shown.

The door slid open to reveal a fuming Prowl. "Prime, I want Cameralift _gone_."

"Why?"

"Firstly, he is completely reprogramming all of the codes to the door. Red Alert changed them just last month, and he insists on changing them once a week, if not every day."

"That's… impractical."

"I know. So get in there and tell him to stop!"

"It's out of my hands." Prime said, sighing. "I can't get him removed unless he engages in some sort of behavior that is not condoned. And I don't think he is any time soon."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The twins nodded as they kept the bucket of paint balanced carefully between them. They were counting on Red Alerts sense of paranoia to make him cautiously round the corner, or for his angry shout to warn them. They were going to nail Cameralift, however, if it landed them in the brig for vorns.

Prowl instead rounded the corner, optics clear and dark. "Twins. I take that is for Cameralift?"

"Yeah, I don't like the things he was saying." Sideswipe said, smiling. "It's a little crude, but anything more elaborate will be caught."

Prowl thought for a moment, before smiling suddenly. "Unless, it wasn't against him, instead…"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Red Alert _knew_ something was off, especially with Prowl calling him to Primes office, but he went.

As Red Alert left, his uneasy apparent even to those who didn't know him, Prowl motioned to Cameralift. "I wish to talk to you as well in my room."

Cameralift nodded, and they walked in the direction of Prowls office. "So, when did you meet Red Alert?"

"He cam to my school to be trained in engineering. Just how to fix small things, because no one trusted him to do anymore." Cameralift chuckled as the thought brought on a warm pride. "I decided to look him over, and to give him basic security training because everyone needed it, not just security mechs. He turned out to be a natural, and when I heard about his glitch, it all made sense."

"I heard rumors that you wish to make him take over your business when you pass on."

"That's true enough. When the War came, I donated all of my workers who were willing to the Autobot forces. Red Alert had to fake sanity, and I taught it to him, fooling the recruiters into thinking they had picked up a perfectly sane mech." Cameralift smile was feral. "Red Alert didn't surprise me in the least when he told me that he had gotten this far."

Prowl said nothing. _Cameralift is obsessed. He doesn't even realize how Red Alerts been acting since he's gotten here. Red Alert was finally beginning to relax enough to keep his conspiracy theories out of his reports. Please Primus, I don't want to go through that again._

SsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSs

Because, quiet frankly, my last one sucked. So I'm redoing this. Not completely, I kept the beginning because it was good, but everyone who's reviewed has agreed that the ending wasn't the best. And as a writer, it is my duty to give you the best I can get, so stay tuned for the next part. Inferno and Red Alert are going to get a little down time.


	2. Chapter 2

Red Alert entered Primes office, and Prime gestured for Red Alert to sit down

Red Alert entered Primes office, and Prime gestured for Red Alert to sit down. The red and white Lamborghini did so, uneasily poking the chair. "There has been several complaints against Cameralift."

Instantly anger flickered in Red Alerts optics as he said, "Why?"

"They claim that he's been invading their privacy."

Prime watched, slightly interested as Red Alerts hands clenched in anger. "Red Alert, what is Cameralift to you?"

"My teacher and my mentor sir." Red Alert said, optics switching over to Prime.

"There is still the problem of him trying to take over your job."

"He's reteaching me sir. I've grown lax while on Earth."

Prime wondered for a moment how Red Alert could say such a thing with a straight face. Then he remembered the conversation. _I have to find some way of saying this without tipping him off…_ "Red Alert, if given a choice, would you choose the army, or Cameralift?"

Red Alerts optics widened as his CPU struggled with having to make a choice between them. "I-I don't know sir." Red Alert at last said, optics dark and stormy.

Prime stood up, and began walking out of his own office. When he reached the door, Prime turned to look at Red Alert gravely. "You're making that choice now Red Alert. I suggest you figure it out. You found an equilibrium with the Army. They are used to and are agreeable with the security you have now. If you try to tighten it, and the mechs don't like it, then theirs nothing that I could do to save you."

The door slid open as Prime walked out. "You might want to think about that Red Alert."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Red Alert knew he was supposed to be recharging. But his CPU was in a riot over what Prime had said. _Which is more important? Cameralift or the Ark? The war won't last forever. Sooner or later it'll all end. If Decepticons win, I'll be killed. If Autobots win, I'll be laid off, as a much more sane mech is brought in to take care of things, and once again I'll go back to monitoring some base on the edge of space. And Inferno…_

All thought process stopped at the idea of Inferno. _Inferno won't look at me twice. Theirs no way he could look at me after the war. After all, war breeds desperateness._

Red Alerts inner struggle came to a screeching halt as the door slid open to reveal a tired Inferno. "Red, you're already getting some recharge?"

"Trying to. Unfortunately…" Red Alert trailed off, unsure of what to say.

Inferno slid onto the berth beside, him, and Cameralifts words came back to haunt Red Alert. _"You're not supposed to have a private life!"_

Red Alert shook his head, rubbing the edge of his helm tiredly, fingers unconsciously touching his horns. They were sparking a faint blue, and Inferno placed one hand on Red Alerts hand, and they lay like that for a precious breem.

"Red, I'm just wondering. What is Cameralift to you?"

"Cameralift was the first mech to ever believe in me Inferno. Believe that I could do something. Before, I had only thought that as a glitch I'd be taken care of by the government money, placed in some hospital where I'd eventually die as a doctor conveniently forgot to give me my checkup."

Red Alerts optics burned into Infernos. "That was the only choice I thought I had. I had signed up for the classes in mechanics simply because I wanted something to do. Cameralift gave me a test, and then proclaimed me to be a natural and demanded that I join his school immediately."

A slight smile appeared on Red Alerts face as he remembered how stunned and shocked he had been. He was still shocked, especially when he learned that Cameralift had managed to get through all of the red tape to pull Red Alert into the academy. From there, his life… "He was like a creator Inferno. I could tell him anything, and he'd help me. I had a problem with fixing a camera, he'd help tutor me through. If I was frustrated at others because they made fun of my glitch, he stayed with me. He told me it was alright to have a glitch, and that I _could_ do something with my life other than being a burden."

Red Alert looked at Inferno. "It was the first time I had ever been wanted Inferno. How am I supposed to tell him that what he's doing is wrong? How am I supposed to _fail_ him?"

Inferno lay quietly, shaken and stunned by the revelation. "Red, would you leave me and the Ark for him?" Inferno asked in a small voice, optics worried and troubled. Infernos optics met Red Alerts, searching for some sort of reassurance that Red Alert wouldn't leave him.

Red Alert turned, voice pained. "I don't know Inferno. I just don't know. Either way, it's a no win situation for me."

Inferno opened his mouth to say something when his comm. link crackled into life. "Inferno, I need you now." Came a voice Red Alert didn't quiet identify. Inferno scowled, and left the room, casting one lingering glance at Red Alert.

Red Alert waited until Inferno was gone, and began crying.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Cameralift scowled and cursed himself as he futilely scrubbed at his paint job. Prowl had taken him to his office, and both had sat down, when a stink bomb had gone off, effectively chasing Cameralift out. _I wonder what Prowl wanted. Ah well, he has his own private wash rack, so he shouldn't have any trouble with getting the smell off._

He paused in his scrubbing as a weary set of feet entered the washroom, followed by a lighter, bouncier pair. "So, Inferno, what did Red Alert tell you?"

"He doesn't know." Inferno muttered.

Cameralift lips curled with disgust. Red Alert might claim all that he wished that Inferno understood the problems of his job, but Cameralift seriously doubted it. After all, he had said the same thing about his own wife, and she had taken their son and disappeared.

Inferno continued on, not realizing that the mech in the next booth was Cameralift, "Red admitted he was torn. And I know that if the war ends he'll find himself out of a job. Whether by death or by asking to step down with full honors so that way they can get someone sane up there; Red Alert will leave his post by the end of the war."

Inferno was quiet for a few moments, turning thoughts over in his head. "Jazz, he told me that Cameralift was special to him. He's really torn right now. He can't decide whether between Cameralift or the Ark. And, I'm scare of what he'll pick. Nobody should be asked to pick between that."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa Inferno!" Jazz said quickly. "Who said anything about those being his only options?"

"If Red tries to tighten security like Cameralift is suggesting, he'll have a riot on his hands. It's taken us this long to break him of such habits. Nobody wants to go through such things again. Red Alert knows that as well Jazz. So he's got two choices. Stay with the Ark, or follow Cameralift."

_Well Red Alert?_ Cameralift wondered. _What are you going to choose?_

0o0o0o0o0o0o

Red Alert stared unseeingly at the cameras, noticing that the twins were attempting to prank Cameralift. And failing miserably.

Every time they got near, Cameralift would suddenly stop, look around, searching for what had tipped him off. And the twins were forced to pull back and wait. Finally, Red Alert got sick and tired of them sneaking around. "Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, come to my office please."

Scowling, they abandoned the ten pounds of mech sized fireworks and began making their way to him. "Yeah, what is it Red?"

"What exactly do you have against Cameralift?" Red Alert asked, glaring. "I've been watching you tying to prank him, so don't you dare act innocent."

Sideswipe was about to say something as Sunstreaker elbowed him in the side. "We listened in on your conversation when Cameralift first got here."

Rage clouded Red Alerts face as he looked like he'd gladly strangle both of them. "We broadcasted it to certain members of the Ark."

The idea to strangle them was replaced with taking them apart. "And we don't like what he said to you. Everyone in the Ark doesn't like what he's doing Red."

Red Alert sighed. "I know twins. I know."

Cameralift entered at that moment, scowling. "Red Alert! I wish to speak to you for a few moments in private."

Red Alert made a shooing motion at the twins, who left unwillingly. "Sir?"

Cameralift regarded Red Alert. "Well, it's time to make your choice. Which will it be Red Alert, will you follow what I've been tying to pound in your brain, or will you follow what you have already established?"

Red Alert took a deep breath, attempting to find what to say. The twins leaned against the door, and didn't even twitch as Prime came by. "What-"

"SSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHH! Red's making a decision."

The datapad in hand forgotten, Prime pressed his own auditory receptor against the door.

0o0o0o0o0

Red Alert was silent, struggling with his own inner thoughts and wishes. "Cameralift… Everything I ever did was to make you proud."

Something flickered in Cameralifts optics, quickly erased. Red Alert missed it, too busy trying to put what he thought into words. "However… I have to say your wrong about how the Ark should be monitored."

Cameralift was about to say something, when Red Alert shook his head. Cameralift settled back, waiting. "Everyone here isn't exactly sane. Even those who are certified glitchy have to work hard not to look sane compared to the Ark."

Jazz laughed silently at that from where he and Prowl were listening in. "Ratchet will weld mechs to the wall, Jazz will prank well enough that I can only barely catch it, and even then the evidence points to the twins… Prime will make his long boring speeches, only to surprise everyone with a sudden comment that will be the true reason why they are motivated. The Aerial mechs will fly inside, yelling duck as their warning. Mirage will walk invisible even on battlefields, so you have to learn when and where to shoot… There is no such thing as a sane mech on the Ark."

Red Alert took a deep breath, ready for the fall that he was sure to come. "That is why sir… I do not think I can do the security like you say."

Cameralift nodded, smashing the bug and leaning over to whisper in Red Alerts auditory receptor. "You chose well Red Alert. Congratulations, your last test is passed."

"What?"

"Remember, I sent you off without having completed the last test. This was the last test. Who are you most loyal too, the Ark which is under your protection, or the ones you haven't seen in vorns. For all you knew, I could've turned over to be a Decepticon."

Cameralift laughed inwardly at Red Alerts shocked optics. "You did well Red Alert. Hesitated a bit too long, but… after the war, I'll be glad to have you back. You have flexibility, and that in the end is the most important part of being a security director. I am proud to know you, and I am proud to have been the one to teach you."

Red Alert gaped at Cameralift, feeling as if he had been whacked repeatedly over the head by Megatrons plasma cannon. "Sir?"

Cameralift smothered a chuckle, "Red Alert, I have taught plenty of students who go by the book too much. When that happens, they become predictable and easy to get around. As security directors, that is our worst nightmare."

Red Alert only nodded dumbly, no clue as to what was happening. Cameralift sighed dramatically. "Well, I have to be going now. Here's your badge to say that you've graduated from my academy."

Red Alert numbly took the smooth metal plaque, and Cameralift strode out briskly. Red Alert lifted up the plaque, reading it, and then he slowly shook his head, sinking down into a chair. "Did this really happen?" He wondered, looking at the plaque.

The door slid open to reveal Inferno. He had heard the news. "Red?"

"It's fine Inferno. It looks like I finally graduated from the academy."

Red Alert shook his head, and was about to say more when they were interrupted with a loud explosion.

Both heads tuned, and Red Alert groaned. The twins had set off the fireworks inside the Ark. "TWINS!"

SsSsSsSsSsSsSs

Ok, I hope you all liked this better then my last story. Especially since the 'r' key kept sticking. Plot twist? definatly. But I had such fun with this chapter... shorter then I would've liked.


End file.
